The whole reason for the selfsufficientish website was to offer a place where anyone can ask, HOW DO I...? So who knows why it has taken us so long to have a HOW DO I? section, but here it is. So if you want to know how to do anything selfsufficientish then here is the place to ask.

I have wires running on the outside of a wall up the side of the stairs that are covered with a long narrow box-like thing holding them against the wall. Is there a way to somehow tuck the wires into the wall so that it can me nice and smooth?

fruitfly wrote:Is there a way to somehow tuck the wires into the wall so that it can me nice and smooth?

Yes there is, but it's a lot of work and very very dusty.
You need to cut a groove in the wall (assuming that the wall is masonry) which is easiest done with angle grinder or proper chasing cutter. Then putting the wire in an oval plastic conduit and plastering over to fill the gap.
I would think you need to consult a friendly electrician for advice.

You're not kidding KL. Even with the appropriate feeding tool it was really difficult to feed electric cable through a purpose-built box 12"x9"x30'. It got stuck at regular intervals along and we kept having to cut small holes in the plasterboard to grab it to continue its path through. Complete pain in the wotsit.

Maggie

Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy

I assume you are talking electrical wires?
I have done quite a bit of electrical wiring, mostly in a factory setting over 30 years with my different jobs, but I've also done some house wiring too. It would be real difficult to give advice for this, without being there to inspect the layout of the house and find alternate routing. I'd suggest contacting a local professional to give you an estimate and some advice...once that person looks at it and tells you what is involved to do it correctly per code, then maybe you'll have a better idea how you could do it yourself, if you are the handy type.